Through the Snow
by Aragem
Summary: Natsumi and Giroro travel and survive against a despairing outlook of a zombie apocalypse.  On their journey, they locate the missing members of the platoon and their human partners while surviving against the horde and the dark side of humanity.
1. Through the Snow

The snow fell, collecting in the gutters and on the benches. It also collected on the corpse that lay across a fallen trash cane, like the man had died where he fell and never rose. Regardless of the snow piled across his body, Natsumi maneuver the grocery cart to give it a wide berth. More than once, they had been surprised by a supposedly dead corpse and she wasn't willing to take any chances with it. On her thin frame, a thick military jacket hung covering two sweat shirts she wore beneath it. Soil jeans which was two sizes too big for her was held in place by a thick belt. Her hair was tied back from her head in a single ponytail and looked in need of a wash. A month ago, Natsumi would have been horrified at her condition, but not, her haggard face streaked by dirt and exhaustion.

The cart she pushed was full of bags, clock and plastic bags. A plastic bag full of cans rattled against the metal bars of the cart and a folded tent was laid atop of it along with a battered first aid kit. Standing at the front of the card, holding his favored gun in both hands, Giroro scanned the road before them. He wore a thick red scarf around his neck to protect against the cold. Slashed along his side was a thin scar that he occasionally rubbed without thinking.

Her boots scooted along the pavement as her eyes squinted into the distance. "See anything?"

"No, they seem to not like the cold either." Giroro replied in a low voice. "Been hours since we saw the last one."

Natsumi glanced down at the bat that lay across the cart basket. It was still stained from where it collided against the thing's skull earlier. She looked at her wrist and the thick man's watch told her that it was 5:30. It would be getting dark soon. They were more active in the dark.

"We should camp soon." Natsumi murmured.

Giroro tugged a map that had been tucked into his belt sash and unfolded with one hand, his other hand resting on his gun. He studied the map for a moment and pointed to the west with his gun. "There's a neighborhood a mile that way. We can find a house and secure it before nightfall if we hurry."

Natsumi quicken her pace, making the cart rattle making her wince. Noise attracted them, but they hadn't seen any for so long, then maybe it wouldn't matter. Giroro tucked the map away and kept vigilance. Several yards, they heard a metallic banging coming from the left. Natsumi froze, her hand gripping the baseball and Giroro spun with gun aimed. The banging came from garage door of a car repair shop and the metal frame rattle from the force. The chain that secured the shutter to the ring in the pavement held it in place.

Natsumi's eyes roamed over the words spray painted on the surface and swallowed. "I think they heard us."

"Don't worry. I don't think they can get out, but still, put some distance between us and them." Natsumi put down the bat and gripped the cart handles with white knuckle grip. She pushed the cart along, forcing herself not to run. She may need her energy later when it was really needed.

As they left, the shutter held against the insistent bounding from within. On the metal surface, the painted words in red gave warning to any who say it.

BEWARE. DEAD INSIDE.

Giroro went inside to make sure it was empty. He left his scarf behind in case it caught on something when he needed to flee. So far, he was able to easily hide from them and they seem to have no interest in him if there was a fresh human around. Natsumi stayed with cart, bat in hand, letting it swing in her hand to warm herself up. The temperature was dropping and she could feel the chill despite the layers of clothes. She stretched her legs feeling anxious. She was greatly relieved to see him appear at the front window and wave her in.

She pushed the cart onto the curb and pushed it toward the front steps. The door swung open and Giroro dropped down from the inside doorknob and shut the door after she entered with the cart. The house was freezing and Natsumi found herself shivering against it. "How does it look?"

"Some broken windows in the back, but the doors leading into them can be barricaded. There's an upstairs bedroom that we can hole up in. " Giroro slung his gun over his shoulder. "There's a kitchen with some can food in a cabinet. Might be worth grabbing."

"Yeah, I'll do that, but first let's get this place secured." Natsumi brushed a loose strand of hair behind her ear.

With that, they both went to work. Wordlessly, they moved furniture in front of the door, draped large towels and blankets over the windows. Natsumi collected the cans Giroro mentioned and glanced at the broken glass. Likely it was due to looters and not . . .them. If was them . . . then were would be a rather bad mess inside. By the time they finished, the sun had fallen and it was rather dark inside. Natsumi's eyes had adjusted to the darkness, but any darker than she was going to need a flashlight.

She grabbed the bags from the cart and they headed upstairs. Giroro stayed behind to tie a string of cans midway down the stairs. It was a simple, but effective alarm system that would offer warning if one of them managed to climb the stairs.

The bedroom was the main bedroom with a queen size bed neatly made. Natsumi took a moment to look at the bed and wondered about the person who made it. Maybe that person had no idea that it would be that it would be two strangers, Japanese girl and an alien frog would be the ones to crash on it.

Natsumi set the can of food on the floor and rummage through it. "Chicken soup? Or Vegetable beef?"

"Chicken." Giroro as he settled onto the floor to clean his weapon with the edge of his scarp.

Natsumi collected two mugs and a can opener. She set to opening the can. "Want to try the radio?"

"I don't see the need. There is never any news or announcement."

"Just try it, please?" Natsumi lifted the lip and poured the contents into the two mugs.

Giroro could never deny her. He reached over in the side of a duffle bag and rugged out the handheld radio. He flicked the on switch and listened. Hissing static whispered from the speaker. He moved the channel dial over to a different station and the next. More static. No more news report of the current outbreak and no voice announcing safe zones promising shelter and aide that never came. He turned it off as Natsumi handed him his mug and took a sip of his cold soup. He tried not to grimace, he didn't want Natsumi's spirits to be dampen any more than they were.

Nasumi sat on the bed, holding her mug with both hands. "So what happens tomorrow?"

Giroro pulled out the map again and spread it out on the floor. "Well, we're in Clarkston here." A red finger tapped a spot on the map. "And our next town over will be in Gray Town which is about three days travel by foot."

Natsumi leaned forward, her eyes following Giroro's hand. "What about Rivet? What is that? Its closer."

"It's a city, Natsumi." Giroro let that hang in the air.

No, no cities. Cities were too. . .crowded, too full of them. There was too many places to be cornered and surrounded. They kept to rural areas, places to hide and run. Natsumi didn't bridge the subject again. "We could get there in one day if we had a car."

"True, but you remember the last time we went out of our way to get a vehicle." Giroro touched the scar along his side.

"I mean, if we find one along the way." Natsumi took a sip of her soup, letting the broth roll on her tongue. "It's be a nice place to sleep in instead of in a sleeping bag."

"We'll see. We'll have to wait and see." Giroro folded up the map and tucked it away in his belt.

They ate in silence. They didn't talk much anymore, not as much as they did in the past when everything was . . . normal. Thoughts rolled through Natsumi's mind. What happened once they get to the west coast of America? Could they find a ship that could take them to Japan? What if Japan was infected too?

A siren founded in the distance and Natsumi felt the blood drain from her face. Giroro snatched his gun in reflect, and then relaxed. "Natsumi, baby, they just bumped into a car somewhere. It's just the car alarm and it sounds like its coming far down the road. It'll lure them away from us."

Natsumi threw down her mug, sloshing the soup and cursed. "Why the hell is this happening! What the hell happened, Giroro! God, I can't. . . I can't. . . "

Tears were blurring her vision as she clutched her hands at her tempers and fought the urge to scream. Giroro was on his feet, and at her side in seconds. He placed firm hard hands on her knees and looked up into her face. "Natsumi, don't fall apart now. Keep it together. We're okay. Those things can't get in here. They don't even know we're in here. It's going to be fine, baby."

Natsumi covered her mouth with a tight hand as she shivered and nodded her head. It took her a moment, but she calmed down enough to clutch at his hands. "Sorry. I. . . it just gets to me. It's the lack of sleep, I guess."

"We can hole up in here for a few days. Get plenty of rest that way and start fresh again." Giroro offered. "I can go into the other houses and see if they have any food. . ."

"No, I'll be okay. I'll try to sleep tonight. Don't worry."

But Giroro did worry about his Natsumi. The weeks following the incident in New York, Natsumi had been growing more and more detach and slower. Her feisty spirit had been trodden down by the trauma of the last month. He patted her hands, "Lets get some sleep."

A month ago, Giroro would have passed out at the thought of sharing a bed with Natsumi, but now it was natural to him to sleep in the curve C of her body. He usually stayed up, keeping watch until she slept. He watched her sleep, her face relaxing into open innocent face that she had before the Zombie Outbreak happened.


	2. Bath

While she slept, the memories came and went like flashes of light.

They had come to New York for one of Momako's weekend vacation where the invitation was meant for Fuyuki alone, but everyone came along. Keroro had been talking about another invasion plan, one of bringing the Lady Liberty Statue to life to command all of America to surrender to the Keronian race. But then again, she did caught a glimpse of him keroing over a pamphlet regarding a Gundam convention being held in New Jersey.

She had considered tagging along just to make sure that he didn't cause too much trouble, but got distracted by the shopping. She had gone shopping alone that day, the day that everything went to hell.

* * *

><p><em>She wasn't sure why Giroro wanted to tag along with her. Maybe it was when she said that she wanted to get a head start on Christmas shopping. It was a week into November and she rather already buy her gifts before the Christmas rush started. She didn't begrudge him coming along. In fact, she was going to make Keroro come and help carry her bags, but he ducked out with Fuyuki earlier. Likely to start some sort of mayhem in the city of New York. It had been so normal that morning when they took a cab to the tourist shops, she would never believe in her worst nightmares what had occurred next.<em>

_She had been in the back of the store looking over New York t-shirts as possible gifts for her friends when from the corner of her eye, she spotted Giroro, in his cloaking device, watching the front of the store with his harsh eyes with gun in hand. _

_She looked in the direction of his gaze and saw a figure against the glass door. It was of a woman in a ragged dress. Looking at the woman sent a chill down Natsumi's spine and she felt a dread so heavy she felt nauseas. _

_The woman looked bizarre; her wide eyes stared into the store through the glass her face pressed against it. Her teeth looked grayish while the gums looked unusually pale and sickened. The woman was pressing herself against the door, her hands smacking at the glass as if she wished to break her way in. _

"_What's her problem?" Natsumi murmured. "Don't she know how to use the door?"_

"_Natsumi." Giroro muttered a hand touching her pants leg. "Don't let your guard down."_

"_What?" Natsumi saw that one of the store clerks was heading to the door. She should feel relieved that it was being handled by someone else, however the chill wouldn't leave her. _

"_Ma'am? Are you are alright?" The clerk called as she approached the door. Her hand touched the handle and pulled it opened, "Do you need me to call the doctor?"_

_The woman stumbled back as the door pushed her back, and for a moment Natsumi believed she would fall on her ass, but then she lunged. Natsumi saw the blood burst in an arching spray against the window. The clerk shrieked which ended wet slurp as she fell to the ground with the woman descending upon her. Natsumi could hear the tear as the haggard woman took another bite out of her throat. _

_The screaming in the store made her ears numb and she noticed an insistent tugging at her wrist. Giroro was pulling her with him, towards a door marked Employees only. "Natsumi! This way!"_

* * *

><p>Natsumi awaken. Her eyes snapped opened and she scanned the room for any hulking figures reaching out toward her. She reached out for Giroro and found him at her side. Her hands tighten around his chest and pulled him against her.<p>

"Na. . .Natsumi?" Giroro stuttered, not resisting as she held him close.

"Sorry. I. . . I just had a dream about. . . that first day." Natsumi murmured letting him go. She drew her watch upward and saw that it was 3:00 in the morning. "Are they. . ."

"Still up and about, but none came near the house." Giroro assured her as she rose from the bed. "The car alarm kept them occupied."

Natsumi edged to the window draped with a thick curtain and carefully pulled back a corner. She could see them below, meandering about in their own little circuits. Most shuffled along the pavement while others walked with stiffed joints as if they forgotten how to properly use their legs. All of them were in different stages of decay and condition, but all of them had the hunger. Though they looked calm and contented, Natsumi knew that the moment their dead eyes landed upon some poor soul, the hunger would turn them into lunging, biting monsters.

She shivered and it wasn't from the cold. She had seen what those jagged broken teeth can do too many times. She dropped the curtain back into place and turned back to the bed. She needed to get more sleep, but seeing them out there had placed a chill upon her that wouldn't allow her to feel fatigued anymore. She crawled back onto the bed and sat with one knee to her chest while her other leg hang loosely over the edge. "Do you think. . .the others are fine?"

Giroro was silent for a moment, pausing in cleaning his weapon as was his habit. "I. . .don't know. I believe everyone received Keroro's last order. "

"Go west to get back to Japan?" Natsumi raked a hand through her hair. "That stupid frog, giving such a stupid order."

"What else can we do?" Giroro murmured tugging his map free from his belt to spread on the bed. It was a map of the upper northeast of America. Along the coast, cities and harbors were crossed out. He pointed at these X's. "Everything is overrun along the coast. And if by some chance we get a boat, it'll still be a longer trip to get back to Japan going around Europe, Africa, and the Middle East."

Natsumi pressed her forehead against her knee as she suddenly felt fatigue by the prospect of traveling all the way toward the west. "What if the west is overrun as well?"

Giroro didn't respond for a long moment. Then he said, "Then we'll think of something else."

She lay back, stretching out her back and just momentarily enjoyed the soft mattress and blankets beneath her. "Yeah, we'll think of something then."

Giroro studied her as he folded his map. He released a soft sigh as he tucked it away in his belt. "We're staying here for today, to rest up."

"Wha. . ?" Natusmi turned her head to look at him, her tired eyes carrying her mental fatigue as well. "I'll be good to go in a few hours."

"No. We need a break. We're safe here. I've check out the window. There aren't that many of them here and they don't know where we are. We rest up today and tomorrow we travel." Giroro hefted himself up to stand on the bed. "Besides, I want to scout around for more supplies. We're low on batteries and the lighter is almost out of fuel. Not to mention that I might find some bullets for your gun."

Natsumi had no idea what sort of gun it was. It was the type she had seen in tv shows and the top slides back for reloading. She wondered if it was legal to have. She sure couldn't ask the corpse she pilfered it from when they fled New York. Giroro was more familiar with it than she was and had asked her to count each time she fired it. The last time she fired it, she had counted 13. Giroro told her that she had three bullets left. The bullets had lasted so long because she only shot when it was necessary. The sounds of guns being fired attracted them.

"So what are we going to do today? I could sleep for a few more hours, but not 24 hours."

"How about a bath?" Giroro offered.

Natsumi lifted her head surprised. "A bath? How?" She hadn't bathed since the night they arrived in New York.

"There's a fire place in the den and while I was scouting this place, there was firewood near the back step. We could build a fire, take snow from outside and warm it up in the pots and pans in the kitchen and take it upstairs to fill the tub. It'll take some work, but it's doable."

The more he talked about it, the better the idea seemed. She suddenly felt the layers of grim and filth on her body that had collected since days after New York. Her hair felt slick with grease and oil as she ran her fingers through it.

"Yeah, let's do that. When the sun is up and those things settle down."

Giroro could tell that she was excited. Good, it had been a long time since she was excited about anything. It made him feel good that he was the one that brought that light to her eyes.

Hours later, the back door opened Giroro stepped out with gun up to his shoulder as he scouted. He didn't see any of them in the back. Good, thankfully he had thought to shut and lock it while he scouted out the home yesterday. So far, the damnable things hadn't learned how to undo locks or doors, but he wasn't taking chances. He had seen these things use their own numbers and brute force to force open doors and openings.

"It's clear." He called behind him in a low voice.

Natsumi appeared at the door way with two plastic buckets and a large bowl tucked under her arm. "Do you hear anything?"

"No, but that doesn't mean they aren't nearby." Giroro moved through the snow, hopping onto a bench set against the tall fence and then jumped up onto the fence. "I see a loner far away in the distance. Too far to hear us from here, but hurry anyway. I'll watch him."

Natsumi piled the snow into the buckets using the bowl as a shovel. It didn't take her long to feel the buckets and then the bowl. She maneuver them back inside and Giroro left his post at the gate to return to the door and slipped in after her.

The fire was easily built and the water boiled. It was carrying it upstairs that was the hard part. She had to make three trips up and down the stairs, but eventually the steaming water was in the tub. It filled it to a third full, but it was enough for a decent bath.

"Giroro, do you want to go first, since it was your idea?" Natsumi asked him as she shucked off her jacket.

"No, you go ahead and take your time. I'm going to scout around in the other homes. Maybe find something useful."

Natsumi glanced at him where he stood at the doorway. "You sure? You need to rest too. After all, it was your idea that we take the day off to rest."

"And I will. I want to look around. See what we can stock up on before we move on."

"I understand. Just. . . be careful out there."

"Don't worry. I don't think they are fond of frog meat." Giroro shouldered his gun as he walked away.

Natsumi couldn't be sure whether he was being serious or joking. She thought she knew him before all this shit started happening. But now, she had seen a different side of him that she had come to rely on.

As she drew off layers of clothes, she wondered if she could afford to clean them as well? Maybe boil them in hot water and hang them to dry over night? She'd check to see what Giroro had to say when he got back.

She let loose a long sigh of ecstasy as she eased herself into the hot water. There was soap and shampoo sitting on the corner of the tub which she happily used. As she scrubbed off the layers of grime and sweat, she realized that bathing was a luxury that she had taken for granted before. There were a lot of things she had taken granted before; such as electricity, food, and above all, a sense of security and safety.

Natsumi understood that if the Walkers knew that she was inside this house, they would be clawing at the door and windows to get in and rip into her flesh. She shuddered as she remembered the first time she had seen a crowd of them devour someone alive.

* * *

><p><em>They had fled the door rushing through the employee area and through a door that led into a back alley. Giroro easily guided her since she was still numb with shock at what had happened to the clerk. As he took her the end of the alley, he stopped, halting her.<em>

_More strange people like the haggard woman from before was shambling along the street. Several normal people were watching them confused. Natsumi tried to shout a warning, but one young man who was stepping in close to snap a photo with his camera was grabbed by a hulking stumbling man and his wrist was torn into by broken teeth. Giroro whipped around, taking her with him. "This way, c'mon!"_

_He towed toward the other end and froze. More of those things. He looked around and spotted a sewer hole behind them. He drew his gun switched it to hi-power. The hole he made smoked, but it was big enough for a thin girl and an alien frog. _

They had spent most of the first day in the sewers trying to navigate their way back to the hotel. But before they could get close, the government had set up quarantine blocks and the evacuating crowds made it impossible to get through.

They were evacuating people to the subway when they got the message from Keroro.

"_Guys, this is. . . pretty bad. It's happening all over in the surrounding states. Anyone of the ARMPIT platoon that can hear this, head to the west and take a ship to Japan. We'll meet up at the Hinata house."_

* * *

><p>What the hell kinda idea was that!<p>

Natsumi lay in the tub, her head resting on the edge as she stared up at the ceiling. She wondered where the others were and if they were still alive. Her mother, Dororo, and Koyuki hadn't come with them on this venture so likely they were safe back in Japan. Kururu properly has some crazy invention that would protect him. The others she wasn't too sure about.

God, she hoped Fuyuki was okay. He had never been strong and often she had been the one to protect him from school bullies and the frogs' crazy schemes. What would he have done if those things surrounded him. . . ?

No, she made herself not think about. She needed to get out, maybe warm up some water for Giroro when he got back. He may want to wash too. She climbed out, collecting a bathrobe that was hanging from the hook on the wall. It was much too big for her, but it served its purpose in covering her. She took one glance at the water in the tub and made a face. It was dark color from the filth she rinsed from her body.

She pulled the plug and let the water drain away. She decided to explore the house some more.


	3. Kitchen Skillet

Giroro kept to the hedges and behind fences. Though the things didn't notice as well as they would a human, that didn't mean they wouldn't come after him if there was nothing else to eat. This must have been a close knit neighborhood since they tend to leave their doors unlocked. Fortunately, it was mostly ransacked by looters who thought jewelry and electronics would be valuable in this new world and left behind the real valuables in this world. Canned food, batteries, first aid supplies, and even warm clothes.

Giroro crept up to the front of house on the corner. The door was locked, but the window was open a crack. He easily hefted it open. The stench from within wafted around him as he struggled not to retch. He turned his head away, drew a deep breath and slipped inside.

The corpse that was rotting on the couch had already decayed to an extent that the skin was discolored and the blood gaping around the head wound had crusted over. The gun in his hand caught Giroro's eye as he dropped to the floor. It took a few tugs, but he managed to pull it free from the dead man's hand.

Looking at the way the body was leaning back on the chair, and the gaping hole at his brow, it could be assumed that the man took his own life. Giroro could only guess at the reason. Maybe the man didn't want to face life living with the dead prowling around hunting for living flesh or maybe his loved ones had been killed. It didn't matter. The revolver he had was fully loaded with six bullets. Hopefully, there will be more.

Giroro tucked the revolver through his belt and looked around. Just as he was heading into what he hoped to be the kitchen, that he heard the moan on the other side of the door. Giroro froze, his hand on the door, he slowly pushed it open a crack. There it was, shuffling around the kitchen its dead eyes gazing at the cabinets in some empty stupor. The backdoor was open, likely how it got in.

Giroro's hand touched his gun. He could easily dispatch it, but firing it would cause too much noise and there was no telling how many were within hearing range. He didn't want to lure those things anywhere near his Natsumi.

He opened the door enough for him to slip through and kept close to the wall behind it. Luckily the bottom cabinet door was open, allowing him to reach in a snag a heavy skillet making only a clank. The thing shifted its feet, jerkily turned its head as if looking for the source of the sound.

Giroro bound up onto the counter and leapt. With one fell swing of the skillet, he bashed its head with a resounding crack. The thing plummeted to the floor where it lay, its skull flatten from when the skillet nailed the skull. Giroro stood over the corpse dropping the skillet. As he turned, he spotted car keys hanging on a hook at the wall.

He stared at them for one moment and then headed to the door next to them. It swung open and a car parked in the garage was a welcoming sight. He was quick to collect the keys and check out the car himself. The gas meter was at the halfway mark, but it would be enough to take them far and who knows, they might even be able to fill it up later on.

He wasn't ready to leave just yet. He looked around the kitchen and saw that it was well stocked on food. He forewent the fridge; anything that needed to stay cold was long ruined and inedible. Checking upstairs, he found a box full of bullets much to his relief. At least Natsumi will have what she needed to survive: food, transportation, a bath, and not protection that extended beyond him.

He sat down with his back against the bedpost as he rested. It had been quite a trip. At least, since they left New York . . .

_They had waited in the subway with the other survivors. He kept himself hidden with his Keran cloaking device and stayed near Natsumi and shared in her rations when they were passed out. They listened with the fearful refugees to the nervous media newscasters reporting on the bizarre epidemic and the military responses to it. _

_On the final day of their stay there, the undead horde broke through the military's blocks and came down into the subway. Giroro had been the one that got her out. He fired his gun until the charge of the gun nearly ran empty, but still the things came at them. He had no choice but to leave the survivors to their fates and take Natsumi out of there. _

_When they made it to the surface, just on the curb, a man was fighting with zombie against an open car. The man had his back against the driver's side and was holding the thing's snapping teeth away from his face with a bat against its throat. The man was screaming for help and Giroro complied by firing at the thing's legs. The undead fell as its legs were neatly cut through by the last, but the thing was unfazed. As it fell, it clutched at the man's legs and tore into his leg. The man shrieked in agony as the thing pulled him down towards its gaping jaws. _

_Natsumi screamed in terror as she watched the thing tear chunks off the man to devour. Giroro had no time to be horrorfied or pity for the man's fate. He propelled her into the car, past the man's dying gurgles as the thing busied itself with burrowing its face into his chest. _

_Natsumi slammed the door shut, finally regaining her wits. Giroro thanked whatever gods were listening that the car keys were still in the ignition. "Natsumi, go! Drive!"_

"_B. . .but. . Giroro, I never. . . I never drove. . ." Natsumi whimpered._

"_Baby, just turn the keys in the ignition, put it in drive, and step on the gas. . .now!" They heard slap on the passenger side where he sat. One of those things were peering into the vehicle, its chapped hands flat on the glass._

_Natsumi screamed away twisting the keys and stomped on the gas. The car revved to life, but didn't move. Giroro quickly put the car in drive and was thrown back as they were propelled forward. "NATSUMI!"_

_She was in a mad panic to get away. She pressed the pedal all the way to the floor. Giroro tried to reach over to grab her arm, but then they hit the pole. Natsumi was slung forward, her mouth hitting the wheel, but Giroro was thrown forward through the windshield. _

_He had passed out, laying the pavement bleeding from a long wound along his hip and thigh. It was a wonder that he hadn't been killed, much less not being knocked out for longer. But he forced himself to push past the pain and get Natsumi out of there. _

Giroro loved her so much. And in a strange way, deep down, he was glad of the events that had taken place to allow him to have her to himself. Never before has she relied upon him so much and been so close to him. He felt that they shared a bond, their passion for battle and the thrill of victory. He knew that she carried the soul of a warrior that would put any of the Elite Keran soldiers to shame. It was just fear that kept her from feeding that passion for now, but now he can see how gradually her warrior self was starting to peek through the cracks.

During this, Giroro had opened the buckle of his belt and was studying the photo he had of her. Her eyes were light with an innocent, but fierce determination for life. He cherished her greatly and wanted to keep that determination alive, hence the reason for the rest and chance to bathe. He should be heading back; she tended to worry when he was gone too long.

He took a pillow case and dropped the bullets inside along with a few choice cans of food and headed back.

When he returned, Nazumi was going through the collection of novels set in a shelf in the bedroom. She was wearing a very large size bathrobe that was hanging off one shoulder in a manner that he found very provocative. With a reddish tint to his face, he set the bag aside by the door. "Hey, I'm back."

Natsumi looked over her shoulder surprised. "Giroro, hey, what did you find?"

"A new gun, bullets, and that vehicle you wanted." Giroro held up the car keys letting it rattle on one finger.

"Really?" Natsumi brighten at the prospect of not having to walk for miles again. At least they can drive with a heater on and be safer traveling.

"The tank is half full, but it'll beat walking." Giroro assured her as he sat down to clean his gun.

"I boiled some more water for you to bathe." Natsumi offered. "I left it in there for you to use."

"Thanks, I really appreciate it." Giroro murmured. "Since we'll be taking the main road, so we can get there in less than an hour, but maybe when we get there we can find a working gas pump and refill."

"Sounds good. I found some books. Something to read when we make camp or not keeping guard." Natsumi set aside a few novels of her choice.

"That's good." Giroro murmured. He was happy to see a bit of the old Natsumi back. The bath had been better for her than he thought.

"Did you. . .see many out there?" Natsumi asked, glancing at him a speck of fear behind her eyes.

"A few, but not as many as we have seen before. Its daylight and there is snow. I believe that they aren't that active in the cold." Giroro murmured as he raked his rag over the barrel of his gun.

"All the more reason for us to get to the west during winter. . ." Natsumi drew her legs to her chest. "Giroro, do you think we'll get there in time for. . . Christmas?"

He paused in cleaning his gun and chose his words carefully. "Maybe. The vehicle will definitely help. It'll turn weeks of walking into a few days of driving. Just depends if we can refill the tank later on or not."

"Yeah, maybe." Natsumi seemed hopeful as she crossed her legs. "I sure could clean my clothes though. . ."

"Why not take new ones?" Giroro suggested. "There are clothes in the closets. I don't think these people had the time to come back and pack their things."

"Wouldn't that be stealing?"

"If they weren't able to come back for their things, I don't think they are in a position to care much."

Though she hesitated, she later found herself going through the clothes left behind in the drawers and closets. It seemed that they had a teenage daughter living in the next room. Natsumi found three pairs of comfortable jeans, two thick sweatshirts tucked in the back of the closet, like the girl that lived here didn't care for them. She also found comfortable shoes that looked almost brand new. She tried not to think of the girl who didn't have the chance to wear them much as she slipped them on. She kept the military jacket because it was warm, didn't smell bad, and it had saved her life previously.

_The jacket had been the one she brought with her from Japan. She liked it because it was comfortable and the girls from her school told her that it was cute on her. She had luckily been wearing it the day of the outbreak and kept it during their stay in the subway. _

_It was after she had crashed the car into the pole and sent Giroro through the window that she came too leaning over the steering wheel with blood leaking from her lips. Giroro was limping toward her from a bleeding gash at his side. She blinked her eyes and moved to get out of the car. _

_She felt something squeeze her shoulder and a terrible smell erode her nose. Turning her head she saw that it was an undead grasping at her shoulder with its mouth. Her blood turned to ice in her veins and she shrieked so hard that it tore at her throat. The things head splattered from a well-aimed shot from Giroro. Bits of its skull, rotting brains, and odorous blood sprayed her face and hair. _

_The thing fell away from her, as she dropped back onto the car, her rear hitting the seat hard. Giroro came around the open door his pupils large and eyes widen. "Natsumi! You were bit!"_

_They had heard on the news repeatedly about not allowing the infected to bit or scratch you. That was how the infection spread. The realization shocked her so much that she felt her life leave her face and her lips felt like ice._

_Giroro pulled off her jacket, as she sat frozen unable to function. He clamber onto her lap and stood, checking her shoulder with fear and dread in his eyes. He yanked back her shirt, baring her shoulder and released a long breath of relief. "It didn't break the skin. Natsumi, you're alright. It didn't break the skin, the jacket protected you." She felt his hands patting her face, trying to bring her out of her shock. "Natsumi, we have to move. Next time you may not be so lucky. We have to go. We have to get out of the city."_

They spent the majority of the day inside near the fire. Natsumi managed to use a pot from the kitchen to warm up some soup so that for the first time in weeks they had warm food. Giroro found a pack of cards in a desk and they spent the afternoon playing cards. When it became dark, Giroro put out the fire and they went upstairs for the rest of the night after setting up the cord with cans across the steps.

Natsumi crawled under the thick blankets, not minding that she was sleeping in her clothes. It was warmer that way. As she rested her head on the pillow, she felt the weight of Giroro sitting on the edge of the mattress near her feet. "Giroro, where do you think the others are?"

It was a question she asked him many times in the past.

"I don't know." Giroro replied after a moment of silence. "If that bastard Kululu was anywhere, he'd be back at base laughing at us."

A smile tugged at her lips. "Going 'ku ku ku'". I think Tamama would be alright, he has that Impact thing going for him. He'd probably be lost if someone didn't lead him by the nose. Momoka probably had her personal army airlift her out. Maybe she took Fuyuki and Keroro with her to safety."

"Maybe." Giroro murmured. She could hear the soft whisper of his cloth rubbing along the shaft of his gun. It was a sound that she had come to think of as a comforting sound.

"Giroro?"

"Yes, Natsumi?"

"I. . . I. . . don't know how to say this without sounding rude about the others. Out of everyone, I. . . I'm glad that I ended up with you."

The cloth whispering against steel halted. She heard Giroro coughed. "I. . .its . . . I don't really. . .understand. . ."

Natsumi curled up in the blankets, her eyes closing. "If. . . if it was anyone else. . . they, they would turn to me for answers and to. . . lead. I. . . I can't lead. I get too scared. I know I act tough and can kick the hell out of you frogs, but those things out there. . .they make my blood turn cold just by looking at them. Giroro, you don't look for a leader, you take the lead when you can and you took the lead when I needed it most. I need you so much that it just scares me to think if I had to do without you."

"Natsumi. . . " There was so many things he wanted to say. He wanted to tell her what it would do to him if anything happened to her as well. He wanted to promise her that he would always, always protect her no matter what happened. He wanted to tell her. . .to at long last tell her. . .to tell her . . . "Nastumi, I love you. I love your strength, your passion, and dedication. I know we'll survive this together because we are warriors and we are survivors."

He waited with bated breath caught in his throat waiting for her answer, her response. None came.

Instead a soft snore drew across the air. Natsumi had fallen asleep mere seconds before his confession. He resumed cleaning his gun, a bead of sweat rolling down his red cheek.


	4. Car

Natsumi didn't dream which was often a blessing because her dreams have been plagued with nightmares. But when she awoken, it wasn't to some sudden noise and it wasn't due to a nightmare. She simply woke up. She reached out to touch Giroro, as was her usual habit, but when her hand couldn't touch him did she raise her head groggily. It took a moment for her eyes to adjust, but she soon saw Giroro standing by the window, holding the edge of the curtain back and peering downward. Clenched in his free hand was his gun.

"Giro. . . " She halted when he made a sharp halt with one hand and then motion her over.

Natsumi moving as silently as a cat, crept off the bed and padded in sock covered feet to the window. Giroro moved to the side, his gun pulled up to his shoulder.

It took her a moment to realized what he was had been staring at, but then she caught it. The bedroom window was over far enough to get an angle view of the front door. Standing at the door was one of them. It wore a dirty church dress, missing one shoe, and the hair that had once been carefully curled and style hung in a tangle mess to its shoulders. It was staring at the front door intently with dead eyes.

Natsumi caught her breath and watched. It stood there with a purpose as if trying to figure out the door. She felt numbing shock drain into her body as it raised one broken hand and touched the doorknob.

"It's locked." Giroro muttered in a stiff tone. "It's locked."

Of course, Giroro would never be that careless. The door didn't open as the thing flicked its wrist. It stood there, confused and Natsumi swore that she saw irritation cross its blank stare.

"Does it know we're in here?" She whispered in a hushed tone.

"If it did, it would have been clawing at the door." Giroro murmured. "No, I think it just remembers."

"Remembers what?"

Giroro pointed at the far wall. "That this house was once hers."

She looked at the far wall. On the wall was a portrait of a couple, likely married side by side. The man in the portrait was smiling along with the woman next to him. It was the thing down below except the nose was whole and the lips were smooth and unstained by blood.

"We can't stay here tomorrow." Natsumi murmured.

"We'll leave when it's light out."

Natsumi didn't bother going back to sleep. Where she had once felt fatigue and exhausted, she now felt restless and unable to relax. She quietly packed their things, but didn't dare to go downstairs to collect anything they left down there. Sloppy and careless mistake she made under the pretenses of security. The thing at the door just reminded her how fleeting that was. If a pack of them discovered them there, they would maul at the windows and doors until enough of them have gathered to force through in sheer numbers.

When the sun slowly came up, the undead spread out, departing from the streets. She wanted patiently in the living room with the bags hefted onto her back. The cart wouldn't be needed if they were able to get a car. She kept glancing outside at the corner where Giroro told her he would signal her if it was clear. Her eyes flicked to any sign of moment, which was difficult since she noticed now that it was snowing heavily. She wondered what the weather forecast was. Sadly, there was no way to tell other than looking up at the sky.

She saw a flash of red and Giroro was standing on the curb waving. She swallowed back any fear and pushed out of the door with baseball bat in hand and gun tucked into her pants. Her boots crunched on the snow as she left the house after shutting the door behind her. She did consider leaving it opened so that original owner can claim it, but then reconsidered. What if someone traveling needed a safe haven also?

Giroro waited for her and then they silently walked to the house where the car resided. Her eyes swept the street watching for any stumbling shadows. The snow batted at her lashes and clung to her hair, the temperature definitely dropped. She would mention this to him later. Right now they had to get to the car. Though it was light out, it was still early morning and some walkers were slow to retire.

"Fortunately, the garage door was left open." Giroro murmured. "There shouldn't be any problem in going in and collecting the car . . . damn, I spoke too soon."

They paused midway crossing the street. Hovering in front of the house of their destination was pair of walkers. They walked on bended knees as if they forgotten how to fully use their legs. Natsumi's hand tightened on her bat and Giroro drew out his knife.

"I'll take the one on the left." He murmured low. The things hadn't noticed them yet.

"Fine." She replied as she raised the bat. Giroro could easily take them out with the gun, but the noise would draw more of them. They can handle a few, but these things tend to group together fast.

They continue walking, waiting for the things to see them. And sure enough, they did. The walkers turned to them, arms outstretch toward them as they stalked forward. Natsumi moved to the right and Giroro to the left circling them. As predicted, the walkers went for the one closes to them and broke apart.

Natsumi waited with bated breath, waiting for it to come within range. Giroro had already shoved his knife into his walker's brain just as Natsumi struck. She swung her bat hard and it collided with the head in a resounding thunk. It offset the thing's balance and it hit the pavement with a grunt. It kept moving, a hand reaching for her feet. She brought the bat down on its cranium. The head caved in under the force and the thing stopped moving.

Natsumi tried not to look at the substance that leaked from its cracked head and what clung to the bat. She thanked God it was so cold, it was hard to smell the putrid stench of their bodies.

Giroro hurried to the front door and motion for her to come. She trotted forward, her boots leaving behind dirty smudges in the snow behind her.

An hour later, they were on the road, leaving the town behind them. The heater was pushed up all the way and the engine hummed a peaceful song to them. They were warm, safe, and were going to get to their destination much more quickly. What would have been a cold dangerous journey be foot was now a causal drive. They kept to the back roads since the main roads usually were packed with abandoned cars. Occasionally they would pass a walker ambling along the road. Whenever they past, it would reach out fruitlessly to catch them and in the rear view mirror Natsumi could see them stumbling after them. She feared that an eventual train of them would follow the car, but Giroro assured her that the car was putting too much distance for them to catch up and likely something else would draw their attention away.

They arrived at Gray town after an hour and half. The tank was still well above the empty line, but better safe than sorry. This was the first time they were able to get a car and Giroro advised that it was best to keep it fueled. They found a gas station where several cars were lined along a pump. It seemed that people had waited too late to flee and had been ill prepared by needing gas. One car door was open with a half-eaten corpse of which they gave a wide berth. The power was out so using the pumps were useless, but fortunately Giroro found a water hose that he was able to shorten with his bowie and began siphoning gas from the vehicles while Natsumi kept watch.

When the gas was nearly overflowing, they decided to brave the store for supplies. As usual, Giroro went in first and checked it out, and if it was clear he motioned for her to follow. If there was one or two, he simply dispatched them himself or if there was too risky, he would come out and they would go elsewhere. Fortunately, it was safe enough to search. Sadly, the store had been looted over with empty shelves and overturned displays. Fortunately, at the back of the fridge was a few cans of warm soda, and Giroro was able to locate a few cans of food. It wasn't much, but Natsumi learned that every bit bought more time before starvation. And she had been hungry before.

As they left Gray, Giroro was studying the map, "There's a hospital not far from here."

"So?" Natsumi clutched the wheel tightly. Driving always made her nervous because in America they drove on the other side of the road and she didn't have her driver's license. Which was stupid, she knew, it wasn't like the police were going to show up and ticket her now.

"We should replenish our first aid supplies."

"But we agreed. Above all else, we avoid hospitals. They are too dangerous." Hospitals were where people congregated when it started. The dead seemed to swarm about the parking lots or lurk inside.

"Being without is dangerous too. What happens if one of us get injured and infection sets in? It's better to have and not need then need and not have." Giroro poked the map. "Besides, we won't need to go into the hospital itself. There's a pharmacy along the street that we can check out. If they don't have anything, then we can try the hospital."

Natsumi didn't like it, but Giroro was right. If one of them got sick or hurt, then the first aid would be worth more than its weight in gold. She turned onto the main road as directed by Giroro and weaved through the abandoned cars. "I just hope we can get to it."

"We can walk if we. . . .look there!" Giroro pointed sharply.

Natsumi put on brakes startled. The car screeched to a sudden halt, throwing her back against her seat. A young man was running through the business garden patch, kicking through dead flowers and snow. Behind him was crowd of stumbling dead, their arms reaching for him.

Natsumi drew a deep breath, staring at the surreal sight. The last time they had seen another human being was nearly two weeks ago and it had not been a good encounter. A group of men had attack them, ambushing them with gun fire which attracted the dead. Natsumi and Giroro never learned by they were attack as the attackers soon turned their attention to the approaching dead. Their fates could only be determined as the frantic gunfire petered out and soon followed by shouts and screams of agony.

Natsumi was at a loss, before this nightmare, without hesitation she would have piled out to save the boy, but now. . . she wasn't sure which was the bigger threat, the boy or the dead. The boy slipped on the icy curb, landing with arms outstretch on the pavement. The wind was knocked out of him she could see from the way he was gawping for air, his sides heaving. The dead continued onward, their minds and purpose on the meat. Before Natsumi could ask Giroro what they should do, Giroro rolled down the window and leaned out the window gun in hand. He let loose a show that reduced the leading dead's head into a spray of black blood and shattered skull.

"This way!" Giroro yelled, motioning with a red arm before firing another shot.

Natsumi bit her lip as she watched the man struggle to his feet, his feet slipping several times on the pavement as he launched himself toward them. The walkers followed suit, never deterring all the while Giroro shot them. The boy threw open the door and bailed inside, yelling, "GO GO GO GO!"

Natsumi didn't need further urging. She smashed the pedal under her boot and the car lunged forward, knocking several walkers aside and one crunched under the tires. The car carried them to the end of the street where Natsumi took a left and took them away from the hospital area. She glanced in the rearview, the boy was sprawl in the back, his mouth open sucking in air as much as his lungs could hold.

"Natsumi, slow down." Giroro muttered touching her arm.

"But. . ."

"We're far away enough to stop for a while. We'll be in a worse mess if we crash."

He was right. The speedometer was nearing 80 mph. She slowed the car to a stop near a playground, and then she wished she hadn't stopped here. At the swing set, were two bodies hanging from the top bar between the swings. Wasn't it more appropriate to use a tree branch?

"Thanks. . ." The boy spoke in a breathless voice as he leaned forward. Natsumi could see that he was just a few years older than her. He was wearing an oversize sweater with a thick coat and soiled jeans. His dark hair was matted and clung to his forehead and hung in his eyes. "I thought I was dead."

"Yeah. . . it's no problem." Natsumi murmured.

"I thought we were the only ones left." The boy thrust a hand forward. "Name's Robert, but everyone calls me Rob."

"Natsumi." She replied uneasily taking his hand. She had forgotten how forward Americans were.

"And I'm Giroro."

Rob turned to the second voice in front and stared, his jaw dropping. Natsumi sighed; it couldn't be helped since Giroro's badge of invisibility had run out of power. "He isn't a freak nor is he a mutant. He's a space frog that came to Earth to invade, but don't worry about it because he and his group suck at it and with things the way they are, they couldn't take over an anthill."

There was a long moment of silence from the back until Rob closed his mouth, swallowed and replied, "Okay, cool. If I can deal with the dead rising and eating people, then I can buy a space frog."

"You said 'we'. There are others?' Giroro glanced out the window, keeping an eye out for walkers.

"Yeah, we're holed up in an inn just outside of town. I came out to get first aid. Someone got hurt yesterday and he's gotten sick since then." Rob had scooted to the edge of the back seat to better speak with them. "You guys should come. We have food, beds, and water. Mom and Annie would love to have another girl around."

"Is it safe?" Natsumi looked at Giroro, get his reaction. The red frog was still watching through the window, making no indication that he heard.

"Very. There is a tall wall around the building that keeps them out."

"We wouldn't stay long." Natsumi's fingers tapped the wheel. "We're heading west."

"Why west? You should stay with us so when the army comes, we'll be saved."

Natsumi stared and Giroro abandoned window watching to turn his large eyes on the kid too. "The army?"

"Yeah, when they come and take care of everything. They'll make things normal again."

"Rob, we came all the way from New York. . . .there isn't any army." Natsumi couldn't find the words to fully describe. . . what had happened. "Help isn't coming."

Rob blinked. He glanced between her and Giroro. "That. . . that can't be right. I mean, this is the United States, the most powerful military on Earth. They can't be . . .gone."

"We haven't seen any soldiers or any sign of aid. We've been living hand to mouth for weeks. It's terrible out there."

"In New York, the military was overwhelmed. The best they can do was evacuate people, but even then we barely escaped when the dead swarmed the subway. All they can do is buy people time to escape before they themselves succumbed."

Rob eased back into the seat looking for all the world like a little boy who had been told there was no Santa, Easter Bunny, or Tooth Fairy all in one shot. His eyes blinked several times and Natsumi could see that they were beginning to tear up. Rob licked his lips and spoke, "My brother was a soldier. He was stationed in New York when this started. . . "

Natsumi and Giroro sat silently, neither knowing what more to say.


End file.
